Agni Purana — Ayurveda, Shloka 14
Pañcāṅga-Rudra-vidhāna
The Fivefold Rudra Rite
पञ्चर्चो रुद्रदेवाः स्युर्मन्त्रे रुद्रानुवाककः विंशके रुद्रदेवास्ताः प्रथमा वृहती स्मृता
pañcarco rudradevāḥ syurmantre rudrānuvākakaḥ viṃśake rudradevāstāḥ prathamā vṛhatī smṛtā
रुद्रानुवाक मंत्रात रुद्रदेवता पाच ऋचांच्या गटांनी असतात. वीस ऋचांच्या संचात त्या रुद्रदेवता मोजल्या आहेत; आणि पहिला छंद ‘वृहती’ असा स्मृत आहे.
Lord Agni (in discourse to Sage Vasiṣṭha, typical Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Mantra","secondary_vidya":"Alamkara","practical_application":"Structuring Rudrānuvāka recitation by verse-groups (pañcarca) and identifying the opening metre (Vṛhatī) for correct chanting and ritual pacing.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Procedure","entry_title":"Rudrānuvāka: pañcarca grouping and first metre Vṛhatī","lookup_keywords":["Rudrānuvāka","pañcarca","Vṛhatī","viṃśaka","Rudra-devatā"],"quick_summary":"Explains that in the Rudrānuvāka, Rudra-deities are arranged in five-verse groups; within a twenty-verse set, the first metrical form is Vṛhatī—guiding segmentation and chant."}
Concept: Mantra-sādhana depends on correct chandas and devatā-vinyāsa (placement/ordering).
Application: Use in Rudra recitation/teaching to keep verse counts, deity assignments, and metre aligned.
Khanda Section: Chandas & Mantra-Shastra (Vedic Prosody; Rudra-Anuvaka classification)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A ritual recitation chart: twenty verses arranged as four blocks of five, with the first block marked ‘Vṛhatī’, and Rudra-deity labels aligned to each block.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style, geometric grid of 20 verse-cells grouped into 5s, first group highlighted with ‘Vṛhatī’, Rudra symbols in each group, temple-ritual ambience.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, sacred diagram on a manuscript held by a priest, gold-leaf emphasis on the first ‘Vṛhatī’ header, Rudra iconography as small emblems.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore style, didactic chart-like painting with neat verse grouping and labels, fine brushwork, scholarly clarity.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, learned assembly around a folio showing a 5x4 grouping scheme, calligraphic ‘Vṛhatī’ at top, detailed textiles and borders."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: पञ्चर्चो→पञ्चर्चः; स्युर्मन्त्रे→स्युः मन्त्रे; रुद्रदेवास्ताः→रुद्रदेवाः ताः.
Related Themes: Agni Purana 295 (Rudra/Chandas subsections)
FAQs
It gives a technical scheme for the Rudrānuvāka: the presiding Rudra-deities are counted/organized by verse-units (five-verse groupings) within a twenty-verse set, and it identifies the opening metrical form as Vṛhatī—useful for correct chandas-aware recitation and ritual indexing.
Beyond narrative theology, it catalogs Vedic technicalities—metre (chandas), mantra segmentation, and deity-assignment—showing the Agni Purana’s compendium-style coverage of ritual philology alongside devotion and doctrine.
Correctly aligning metre and deity in Rudra-mantra recitation is traditionally held to preserve the mantra’s efficacy (śakti) and support purification and merit (puṇya) through accurate, disciplined chanting.